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November Entry: "Zamora's Bane"

OK, here we go...first a somewhat short back story;

After a couple of weeks resting and recuperating on Gryphon Isle following the debacle with the trolls Khaltyn had used his sword Gryphon Claw's innate power to transport the group back to the mainland. A short overland journey had brought them to the capital city of Seynorea which they now called home and after a short stay they were off on another 'assignment' for his patron church.

At first glance this seemed a fairly routine mission. They were to provide escort for a young woman, Shaara, to the city of Vydessos. She would travel on from their aboard a ship bound for Y'Gora.

Thus far the journey had been uneventful. Shaara said never complained, in fact she barely spoke unless directly asked a question. There was something a bit mysterious about her, but none of them could quite figure out what it was.

He hoped to charter a boat from one of the numerous villages along the River Reaching, which according to his map was just over the low rising mountains they were climbing. Khaltyn signaled to the others to take a short break. "Just a quick breather before the final push to the top of the ridge." He was finally feeling like his old self again, turning to their charge he asked, "How are you holding up Shaara?"

The voice that emerged from the deep cowled cloak she always wore, was a sweet as the morning dew. "You're concern is appreciated Sir Khaltyn, though unnecessary. I am quite well."

"Alright then, lets get this over with. Hopefully we'll come out near one of the villages we were told about. Danner, why don't you go on ahead and scout for a way down from that ridge."

The young half-ling nodded and scrambled up the mountain side, leaping from one rocky outcropping to the next. "I swear that boy is half goat," Torbek, the aging dwarf rune caster grumbled good-naturedly. "Makes my old bones ache just watching him." The rest of them smiled at the comment, knowing full well that Torbek could march for days with
little to no rest if needed.

Danner had reached the top of the ridge and was hurriedly signaling them to join him. Khaltyn, the next to reach the ridge could see the stunned look on his face. "What is it Danner, what do you see?"

"I'm not sure Khaltyn, come take a look for yourself."

Upon joining the halfling Khaltyn was left speechless by what he saw. The valley below was filled with a greenish-black miasma. The grass had turned a sickly yellow-gray color and the trees appeared to be nothing more than rotting or dead stumps. The river, which could just be seen through the sickly haze had largely dried up, and what now flowed through the center of the channel looked brackish and sludgy. Even the rocks of the various small peaks and ridges looked diseased, huge rents had appeared in them and the color was like nothing Khaltyn had ever seen.

Something moved in the valley below, but could not be seen clearly because of the haze. The rest of the group had joined them and their was an audible gasp from Shaara, who promptly fell to her knees retching. Nandii and Shuzata, the Braydish warriors went to check on the young woman who had already begun to regain her composure.

"Gods above what is that?" Torbek blurted out. He knelt, brushed away the dirt and quickly inscribed a rune on the rock, then mumbled an incantation in his native tongue. The rune glowed briefly then quickly flickered out.

Khaltyn looked to Shaara with concern on his face. She was already returning to her feet. "I am allright", she replied, "it caught me off guard." He then looked to Torbek eyebrows raised. "Well old friend?"

The dwarf had paled quite a bit, especially noticeable on his normally ruddy skin. "It's unlike anything I have ever encountered, it's as though the very rock is sick or diseased. We had best be very careful on the path we choose in the descent."

"Khaltyn it seems we are going to have company", Danner hissed. The figure they had seen through the haze was now scrabbling up to where they stood, it's gait a mix of both two and four limbs. "Daagat!", the halfling hissed again drawing his two long knives and readying himself for combat, "but bigger than any I'd ever seen." The Daagat or Rat Men were the mortal enemies of the halfling race and they generally attacked each other on site.

The creature stopped roughly 10 paces from where they stood, it stood up on it's hind legs and peered at them with glowing red eyes. Its grey-brown fur patchy and covered in sores that oozed a green puss. Danner growled again and was about to launch himself at the creature when he was brought up short by Shaara who had grabbed his belt.

"No Danner this is my fight, and mine alone." She had shed her cloak and beneath it wore a robe of green, yellow and gold. Reminding them of the turning of the trees in the fall. She drew a metal rod from beneath her belt. "Come spawn of Tykhoor, come face a true daughter of Zamora!" The creatures eyes gleamed through the haze and it began to advance.

This is the "before" map which will most likely be used as an inset to the final. As always feel free to leave and C&C.